Poa vs the SongFic Challenge
by Poa
Summary: A collection of Chuck vignettes based on the first ten songs of my iPod shuffle.


Having seen **Truthseekr** and **Timewalker **complete this challenge successfully, I thought I'd give it a shot.I wasn't able to complete these within the timeframe of the songs, though. Heck, I was lucky if I got out one or two lines!

**No Line on the Horizon- U2**

Chuck walked out of Emmett's office, his eyes wandering over the store displays, the bank of televisions, and the working green shirts. _This was it_, he thought. _The point of no return_. He strode quickly past questioning eyes, out into the brightness of the day. He and Casey went to the Orange Orange and then Chuck was on his own. He took a deep breath, and then walked over to his new car, a blue Chevy Volt. Technically, it wasn't supposed to exist yet, but he had friends in high places, it seemed. Casey had handed him the keys after they said their goodbyes, along with his check. He got behind the wheel and drove out into the traffic, with no particular destination in mind. He felt his apprehension fading as he drove, replaced with a hesitant feeling of elation. For the first time in his life, he felt like he'd been given a clean slate, a fresh start. He didn't know what to do with himself. He should probably start with a job. Was Bill Gates hiring? He laughed to himself.

He suddenly found himself driving past her hotel, and his eyes widened with surprise as she stepped out of the glass doors onto the sidewalk. He pulled over quickly and called her name through the open window. She hesitated only a moment and then got in the car. "Where are we going?" she asked, her blue eyes crinkling with amusement.

Chuck signaled and the Volt whirred out into the traffic. He turned and raised his eyebrows. "Anywhere," he said.

"Great," she replied with a smile. "I've always wanted to go there." She reached over and took his right hand from the steering wheel, interlacing their fingers together.

**Funkytown- Lipps, Inc.**

Casey waved his hands in the air and yelled. "Get it on, people!" The colored lights spun around the room, and Casey's face lit up with a smile. He clapped his hands to the beat, bobbing his head and pacing along the front of the stage. He performed an Elvis hip gyration and the crowd simply roared with approval. The audience jumped in place; a hundred heads going up and down like so many pogo sticks with their hands held high. He pulled the lapel of his purple satin shirt up and walked to one end of the stage, and the crowd quieted themselves with anticipation. He ran and then slid across the stage on his knees. A woman leaped onto the stage and he rewarded her with a kiss before shoving her off the edge. The crowd cheered and started shouting, "jump, jump, jump!" Casey never hesitated. He jumped into the crowd, floating on top of his fans and blowing kisses at the ceiling.

"Casey?"

"Whaddya want, Bartowski?" Casey asked with irritation. He returned his attention to Chuck, who was sitting across from him at the breakroom table, eating one of those five-dollar footlongs from Subway.

"Penny for your thoughts? I could have sworn that I just spotted a smile on you."

Casey stood up, grabbed Chuck's sub, took a bite, and then walked back into the store with it.

Chuck turned to Morgan and shrugged. "I guess I wasn't that hungry anyway."

**Strawberry Swing-Coldplay**

"Higher," she called playfully. Her golden hair flowed out behind her as she flew toward the blue sky. He laughed, pushing her higher. She turned to look down at him as she reached the top of the swing's arc, and her smile simply melted his heart. He loved her like he had never loved anyone before. She was his heart, his life. He pushed her again and her laugh nearly took his breath away.

"I love you, Sarah!" he cried out suddenly, unable to contain his feelings any longer. He walked out in front of the swing, and noted that her expression had become serious. He swallowed hard.

She continued to swing for a few moments, kicking her legs back and forth to maintain the momentum. "Catch me!" she called out, and then she leaped from the swing. She landed on her feet and he caught her in his arms. She looked up at him and smiled.

"I love you, too, Chuck."

He held her close, smelling the sweetness of her hair and feeling the warmth of her hands on his back. He closed his eyes, enjoying every second of the best moment of his entire life.

**Praise You-Fatboy Slim**

Casey finished cleaning his gun and set it carefully into its metal case. He had returned from the firing range early; his heart just wasn't in it today. It had been a year since he last saw Ilsa. He didn't know where she was located, or even if she was still alive. He sighed and turned on the television. A knock on his door startled him, and he peered at the monitor installed alongside the door. He grunted questioningly, and opened the door.

"Hey John," Ellie said, flashing him one of those brilliant Bartowski smiles.

"Uh, hi," he said, moving so that she wouldn't spot his gun case on the living room table.

"Chuck said that you were feeling kind of down lately, and I was wondering if you'd like to come over for a while."

_Great_. Casey narrowed his eyes. Chuck told her he was feeling down? That moron was going to pay for it one of these days.

"We having our monthly board game tournament, and since Sarah is out of town, we could use a fourth player."

"Oh, ah, I don't think…"

"Not another word," said Ellie firmly. "You can't sit home alone night after night, John. You need to get out more, and I know Chuck would be glad to see his friend having a little fun."

Casey sighed. Chuck had sent Ellie over here because he knew that he couldn't say no to her. "Fine," he said resignedly, closing the door behind him.

They played all sorts of games: Monopoly, Clue, and even a silly round of Chutes and Ladders. Casey excelled at Clue, and before he knew it, he was enjoying himself. He returned Devon's high fives and he even smiled. Twice. He also caught himself almost laughing at one of Chuck's stupid jokes.

When the last game had been played at four in the morning, Chuck walked with Casey across the courtyard.

"Spill it, Bartowski."

Chuck cleared his throat nervously. "Casey, I know you've been feeling bad lately, and I wanted to help. I wanted you to see that you're more than the Intersect's handler. You're more than an NSA agent, too. Casey, you're a great guy--period, and sometimes I think you lose sight of that."

Casey unlocked his door, not looking at Chuck. Chuck threw up his hands and turned away. Casey watched him for a moment.

"Chuck," he said.

Chuck turned around.

"When's the next tournament?"

**Up Around the Bend-Creedence Clearwater Revival**

Sarah accelerated around the bend, pushing her convertible close to the edge of the mountain road. Gravel scattered down the cliff; the tires spun a little before finding traction. Her long blonde hair flew freely behind her, and she adjusted her sunglasses. Puffy white clouds floated in a sea of deep blue.

She had been on the road for hours now; traveling across the Pennsylvania heartland. Green mountains and fields of yellow flowers. Fresh country air. Cows grazing behind wooden fences. She inhaled deeply and smiled with anticipation. She had been gone for eight days—a final assignment for the CIA. An eternity.

He was waiting for her, and she smiled again. They made their nest in the Poconos Mountains—a fresh start for both of them. He had proposed to her, but the idea of marriage terrified her. Undeterred, he suggested that they simply live together; somewhere quiet, and she loved the idea.

She slowed and turned onto a dirt track. The log cabin came into view, and he stepped out onto the porch with one of his big goofy grins. She sighed contentedly. Home at last.

**Wonderful Christmastime- Paul McCartney**

They walked along the nearly deserted streets of New York, hands clasped comfortably. The shop windows were lit with Christmas displays: elves in a workshop, Santa in his sleigh, and huge ornaments dangling from hooks and wires. Snowflakes flurried past their faces, and church bells chimed in the distance. He said something to her and she laughed, stepping closer to him as they walked.

A man emerged from an alleyway, tracking the couple; he stepped quietly and fell in sync with their footsteps. He trailed behind them leisurely, his hands stuffed into deep pockets, his hat pulled down low. He glanced from side to side occasionally and after a few minutes, he quickened his steps.

The woman glanced back slightly and frowned. She didn't alert her companion, and she didn't alter their pace.

As the couple and their follower passed another alleyway, a second man emerged, dressed entirely in black, trailing the first. He closed the distance quickly, and then grabbed the interloper from behind, dragging him into the alley. The men struggled for a moment, and then the man in black used the side of his hand to deliver a chop to the back of his opponent's neck. The interloper fell to the ground unconscious.

As the man in black stepped out onto the sidewalk, the woman glanced back and they exchanged a slight nodding of heads before he disappeared back into the alley.

The man walking beside her looked straight ahead as he spoke softly. "Two years later, the mission long over, and he's still keeping an eye on us."

Surprised, the woman let go of his hand and stopped walking.

"We're lucky to have such a good friend," he said with a smile, finally turning to look into her eyes.

She grabbed his arm tightly and they resumed walking. "Yes, we are very lucky to have him," she said.

The man in black pulled out of the alley, the interloper secured in the trunk of his Crown Vic. He hesitated a long moment before driving away, watching the couple continue their midnight walk. Satisfied, he smiled briefly and drove out into the city.

**The Safety Dance- Men Without Hats**

Another Buy More party and Chuck found himself standing off to the side as usual, watching Morgan and Anna dance. "We can dance if we want to!" Jeffster was performing tonight, and everyone was in high spirits, thanks to Jeff's special punch. Big Mike and Bologna thumped past; twirling in large circles across the floor. Fernando stood in front of the band wearing his Jeffster tee-shirt, singing along and clapping his hands wildly.

Chants of "robot, robot, robot" shook him from his daze, and Chuck realized that his people were calling for him. He smiled broadly, stepping out onto the dance area. He moved stiffly, giving the crowd what they cried for: his famous robot dance. He danced with a half-smile on his face, enjoying his small moment in the spotlight before moving off the floor and standing to the side again.

He saw her then, across the dance floor, watching him with those dazzling blue eyes. She smiled and gestured for him to join her. He shuffled through the dancers, nearly getting trampled by Bologna as Big Mike spun her around.

"Let's dance," Sarah said, grinning.

"Now?" asked Chuck, wondering how the heck he was going to dance with such a beautiful woman, and to Jeffster's version of Safety Dance, no less.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the floor. He hesitated a moment, and then did what he did best: the robot. To his surprise, she also danced the robot, and they smiled at each other like teenagers on a first date.

**Human- The Killers**

He drove fast, not knowing where he was going, just driving. Buildings flew by in a blur, and he turned up the radio. It was finally done. Operation Moron was over. Good. Other thoughts pushed up from within, though, and he wasn't sure how he really felt about it. Lady feelings. He shook his head. Lady feelings for a computer nerd and a CIA skirt. He already had another assignment: commanding his old unit. He should feel good about it, but instead he was worried. Chuck had a knack for getting himself into trouble; it didn't matter whether or not he was the Intersect. And Sarah was probably blinded by her feelings for Chuck; she wouldn't be her usual sharp self. Fulcrum would probably try to acquire Orion, and they might try to do so through Chuck.

He rolled down the window and tried to clear his thoughts. It wasn't Fulcrum he was worried about, he realized. In fact, it had nothing to do with Chuck or Sarah. It had everything to do with Colonel Casey, cold-stone killer. He didn't fit into that role anymore. His time with Chuck and Sarah had changed him somehow; made him softer. He frowned and shook his head. Not softer; just more… human.

He wondered if Beckman had any L.A. assignments.

**Cheeseburger in Paradise-Jimmy Buffet**

"C'mon," said Chuck excitedly, taking Sarah's hand and pulling her from Casey's SUV. Casey got out and looked at the sidewalks, which were lined with plastic pink flamingos. He grunted. What the hell was he doing at a Cheeseburger Festival in some little hick town? A group of teens walked past, wearing foam flamingo hats.

"Hungry, Casey?" Chuck asked with a wide smile. "You're going to have the best burger of your life."

Casey nodded slightly and followed Chuck and Sarah, who were holding hands. The sun was hot and the warm breeze carried a familiar scent. Casey sniffed the air. Charred beef. Maybe this wasn't going to be a complete bust after all. Chuck led them between a set of buildings into a grassy alleyway. Two giant charcoal grills were in operation, and an old man wearing a pink tee-shirt waved at them.

"Black angus burgers," the old man said with a toothy grin. "The best you'll ever have."

Chuck ordered two cheeseburgers with extra pickles for him and Sarah. Casey ordered his cheeseburger plain; none of those fancy condiments for him. They collected small bags of chips and cold bottles of beer to complete the meal and Chuck insisted on paying. They sat down at a picnic table covered with a red-and-white checked cloth.

Casey took a bite and chewed slowly, keeping a wary eye on the crowd. He would probably fall off his seat if he spotted a Fulcrum agent out here in Hicksville. Suddenly, he realized that Chuck and Sarah were watching him.

"What?" he said irritably.

Chuck smiled and traded a knowing look with Sarah.

Casey sighed. "Fine, it's the best burger I've ever had," he admitted, taking a long swallow of his beer.

"I knew you'd love it, Casey!" said Chuck. "Happy birthday, big guy!"

**Only-Nine Inch Nails**

Chuck tore out across the field, heading for the tree line. He pumped his arms and ran for his life, feet slipping a bit in the wet grass. He focused on his form, making sure that his feet landed properly. A single stumble could mean death. Behind him, Casey ran with the fast, focused pace of a soldier. He controlled his breathing, and he kept his eyes glued to Chuck's back, waiting for him to trip up or fall over. Chuck looked over his shoulder, noting that Casey was closing the distance. He powered his legs and ran faster, his breath becoming more ragged.

Running ahead of Chuck, Sarah pointed to the left, and Chuck veered in her direction, not daring to glance behind him. He felt the wind suddenly overtake him, blowing the tall grass in front of him so that the grass nearly flattened against the ground. His eyes blurred and he felt panic surge within his body. They were going to be killed. A hand touched his shoulder, and he nearly screamed.

Casey met his eyes, and Chuck managed to push down the rising panic, nodding slightly at him. Chuck blinked his watering eyes and focused them on Sarah, who had just reached the tree line. It had been instinctive—to run for the trees. There was no reason anymore. He could hear choppers in the distance, but they wouldn't reach them in time. Part of him wanted to stop running; to face the emptiness threatening to consume them. But Sarah was ahead of him, and Casey was beside him, and he couldn't stop yet. From somewhere deep within, he found the strength to run even faster.


End file.
